22 July 1986

38th plenary meeting

Assistance to the Palestinian people

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 40/170 of 17 December 1985,

Recalling also Council resolution 1985/57 of 25 July 1985,

Recalling further the Programme of Action for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights, adopted by the International Conference on the Question of Palestine,

Noting that the programme of economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people requested in General Assembly resolution 38/145 of 19 December 1983 has not been prepared,

Noting the increasing need to provide economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on assistance to the Palestinian people;

2. Notes the meeting on assistance to the Palestinian people held at Geneva on 2 July 1986 in response to General Assembly resolution 40/170;

3. Expresses its thanks to the Secretary-General for convening the meeting on assistance to the Palestinian people;

4. Regards such a meeting as a valuable opportunity to assess progress in economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people and to explore ways and means of enhancing such assistance;

5. Urges the international community, the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to disburse their aid or any other form of assistance to the occupied Palestinian territories only for the benefit of the Palestinian people and in a manner which will not serve to prolong the Israeli occupation;

6. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To prepare without further delay the programme of economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people requested in General Assembly resolution 38/145;

(b) To convene in 1987 a meeting of the relevant programmes, organizations, agencies, funds and organs of the United Nations system to consider economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people;

(c) To invite the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Arab host countries and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to participate in the meeting;

7. Requests the international community, the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to sustain and increase their assistance to the Palestinian people in co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organization;

8. Also requests that United Nations assistance to the Palestinians in the Arab host countries should be rendered in co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organization and with the consent of the Arab host Government concerned;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-second session, through the Economic and Social Council, on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution.